Server processing of interactive screens for a wireless device

ABSTRACT

A system and method for displaying an interactive screen, such as an end-user license agreement or verification form, on the graphic display of a wireless device when the wireless device connects to a network server on a wireless network and attempts to access or download software applications and data. The user of the wireless device must then affirmatively interact with the interactive screen in order to access or download a software application or data from the network server. The interactive screen can be transmitted from the network server where the wireless device seeks to access or download an application or data, or can be transmitted from a separate server to the wireless device. The records of the wireless device-server interactions can be stored on a network server or other data stores on the wireless network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to wireless networks andcomputer communications across wireless networks. More particularly, theinvention relates to the processing of an interactive screen by one ormore servers for display on a wireless device when the wireless deviceattempts to access or download a software application or data from theone or more servers.

II. Description of the Related Art

Wireless devices, such as cellular telephones, communicate packetsincluding voice and data over a wireless network. Cellular telephonesthemselves are being manufactured with increased computing capabilitiesand are becoming tantamount to personal computers and hand-held personaldigital assistants (“PDAs”). Some wireless devices, such as selectcellular telephones, may have an installed application programmingcomputer platform that allows software developers to create softwareapplications that operate on the wireless device.

On the Internet and other open networks, it is known to provide a userof a computer an interactive form when the user seeks to download oraccess software applications or data, such as an end-user licenseagreement (EULA), release, or verification form as to age, location ornon-commercial status, prior to letting the user download theapplication. The user then must interact with the form, which sends aconfirming signal back to the application download server, and then theuser is given access to the application desired downloaded. However, theInternet and most LAN or WAN networks are wire-based or otherwise haveinexpensive data connectivity such that bandwidth is easily available toprovide interactivity between the browsing computer and the applicationdownload server. Thus, the transmission of the end-user licenseagreement or other verification forms and return of the confirming datadoes not take up significant network resources. Conversely, in awireless network environment such as cellular telecommunications, anynetwork connection for data transfer is expensive and the use of auser-interactive form to traverse the network prior to applicationdownload has traditionally been prohibitive.

Consequently, it is desirable to provide an interactive mechanism to awireless device by which the user of the wireless device must interactprior to accessing data over a network. Such a mechanism needs toaccount for the limited bandwidth and other characteristics associatedwith the wireless network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for processinginteractive screens for a wireless device, comprises receiving a requestsent across a wireless network to download data to the wireless deviceand transmitting an interactive screen and destined for the wirelessdevice prior to transmitting data destined for the wireless device. Themethod may further comprise receiving a signal indicating an interactionof the wireless device and the interactive screen and transmitting thedownloaded data requested by the wireless device. Also, receiving therequest sent across a wireless network may be received by a firstnetwork server and transmitting the interactive screen may be performedby a second network server. This may also may upon receiving a signalindicating an interaction of the wireless device is received by thesecond network server, wherein upon the second network server sending asignal to the first network server indicating the interaction and thefirst network server transmitting the downloaded data requested by thewireless device.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a system for processingan interactive screen for a wireless device with a first network serverand a second network server, comprises the first network server inselective communication with a wireless network and in selectivecommunication with the second network server and the second networkserver in selective communication with a wireless network and inselective communication with the first network server, wherein the firstnetwork server receives a request for download data from the wirelessdevice, communicates the request to the second network server and thesecond network server transmits an interactive screen to the wirelessnetwork destined for the wireless device.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method forprocessing an interactive screen on the graphic display of auser-interactive wireless devices including a computer platform, thewireless device selectively communicating with a network server anddownloading applications and data therefrom, the method comprisesattempting to transmit data to the wireless device from the networkserver across the wireless network, and transmitting a interactivescreen to the computer platform of the wireless device across thewireless network prior to downloading the requested data to the wirelessdevice.

Objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will becomeapparent after review of the hereinafter set forth Brief Description ofthe Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention, and the Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representative diagram of a wireless network and thecomputer hardware and wireless devices that can be used within thesystem to provide an interactive screen to the wireless devices.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the hardware components of the wirelessnetwork providing communication between different wireless devices, anapplication download server, a separate interactive screen server, andtheir respective databases.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the graphic display of a cellulartelephone displaying a EULA to the user upon the user seeking todownload an application.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the graphic display of a cellulartelephone displaying a age-verification to the user upon the end-userseeking to download an age-restricted application, and the user isrequested to enter their age on the form.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the process executing on the wirelessdevice computer platform to attempt to download and application from anetwork server, and receiving and displaying an interactive screen tothe user, transmitting the interaction data to the network server, anddownloading the application.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the process executing on theapplication download server receiving a download request from thewireless device in FIG. 4, transmitting an interactive screen to thewireless device, and awaiting the user to properly interact with theinteractive screen before allowing the wireless device to download therequested application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Introduction

Systems and methods are anticipated that provide for the downloading ofsoftware applications to a wireless device. Software applications cancome pre-loaded at the time the wireless device is manufactured, or theuser may later request that additional programs be downloaded overcellular telecommunication carrier networks, where the programs areexecutable on the wireless device. As a result, users of wirelessdevices can customize their wireless devices with programs, such asgames, printed media, stock updates, news, or any other type ofinformation or program available for download from application downloadservers through the wireless network.

In one scenario, if the user of the wireless device desires to downloadand use a software application using the wireless network, the user willtypically either call a service provider or contact the service providerthrough other means, such as through an Internet access, and the serviceprovider will either transmit the application to the wireless deviceacross the wireless network or allow the user access a network sitewhere the application is downloadable or accessible. To connect to theapplication download server, the wireless device bridges a communicationconnection to the wireless network, such as a cellular network, and thenattempts to contact an application download server where the desiredsoftware application is resident. Once the wireless device contacts theapplication download server, an initial connection is made and theapplication download server determines what application are available tothe wireless device and sends the appropriate information, such as amenu, for display on the wireless device so the user can learn of theavailable applications. Once access is provided to the downloadableapplications, the user of the wireless device can download any of theavailable applications.

The present invention provides systems and methods for providing aninteractive screen on the graphic display of a wireless device when thewireless device attempts to download or access data or applications on anetwork server, such as an application download server, across awireless network. The interactive screen allows the limited access ofindividual applications and data on the network server. The interactivescreen can be transmitted to the wireless device from first networkserver that the wireless device computer platform is attempting tonavigate, or the interactive screen can be transmitted to the wirelessdevice from a second server on the wireless network. The interactivescreen can include graphics, text, multimedia components, data entryfields, or hyperlinks, all of which are displayable and interactive onthe graphic display of the wireless device, and the system requires theend-user to properly interact with the screen in order to download oraccess the requested applications or data.

Examples of the interactive screen are EULAs which require the end-userto agree to certain terms before being allowed to download a softwareapplication, or a verification form that requires the end-user to inputdata in order to have the requested access to the applications or dataon the network server. Once the user of the wireless device interactswith the interactive screen displayed on the graphic display of thewireless device in the proper predefined manner, the wireless devicesends a signal to the first or second network server indicating theproper interaction, and the first network server will then allow theaccess or download of the requested application or data to the computerplatform of the wireless device. When a second network server hasprovided the interactive screen to the wireless device, the secondnetwork server can also receive the interaction data from the wirelessdevice and relay the interaction data to the first network serverwhereby the first network server then allows the download of therequested data to the computer platform of the wireless device.

It is therefore one object of the present inventive system and method toprovide an interactive screen that can be displayed to the user of awireless device seeking to download or access a specific application anddata on a network server, such as an application download server. Theinteractive screen the operator of the network server the ability toselectively control the access the user of the wireless device has tothe network server resident applications, and force users to enter EULAsor input data before being allowed to access the applications and data.With the use of a separate network server that can provide theinteractive screen to the wireless device and store the interactionrecords, the system can conserve bandwidth and resources of the wirelessnetwork while controlling access to the applications and data of othernetwork servers. The present invention thus provides an advantage inthat it gives an operator of a network server the ability to havewireless device users execute agreements or verify facts prior togranting the user the ability to download or access applications anddata resident on the application download or network server withoutsignificant use of the bandwidth and resources of the wireless networkand network servers.

Exemplary Embodiments of the Present Invention

With reference to the figures in which like numerals represent likeelements throughout, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a system 10 forproviding subscribed software applications to one or more wirelessdevices, such as cellular telephone 12, in communication across awireless network 14 with at least one network server, such asapplication download server 16, that selectively downloads or providedaccess to software applications or other data to the wireless devicesacross a wireless communication portal or other data access to thewireless network 14. As shown here, the wireless device can be acellular telephone 12, with a graphics display 13, a personal digitalassistant 18 with PDA screen 19, a pager 20 with a graphics display 21,which is shown here as a two-way text pager, or even a separate computerplatform 22 that has a wireless communication portal and a display 23,and may otherwise have a wired connection 24 to a network or theInternet. The system 10 can thus be performed on any form of remotecomputer module including a wireless communication portal, includingwithout limitation, wireless modems, PCMCIA cards, access terminals,personal computers, access terminals, telephones without a display orkeypad, or any combination or sub-combination thereof.

The application download server 16 is shown here on a local server-sidenetwork 26 with other computer elements in communication with thewireless network 14, such as a database 28 with stored applications anddata that contains software applications and data that are accessibleand downloadable to the wireless devices 12,18,20,22. There is alsoshown a second network server which is an interactive screen server 32and with stored interaction database 30. In such embodiment, theinteractive screen server 32 transmits the interactive screen to thewireless device 12,18,20,22 as below described, and the storedinteraction records database 30, which can be resident on theinteractive screen server 32, stores the individual records for theinteractions with the wireless devices that the interactive screen wasprovided to, the data input by the end-user, and any other interactionrelated data. Through the separate interactive screen server 32 andstored interaction records database 30, many other network servers, suchas application download server 16, can have the system 10 provide theinteractive screens to control access to network server residentapplications and data without significant use of the network serverresources. However, interactive screen server 32 and stored interactionrecord database 30 are not necessary as server-side functions can beperformed on one server, such as application download server 16.Further, a computer server-side computer platform can provide separateservices and processes to the wireless devices 12,18,20,22 across thewireless network 14.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram that more fully illustrates the components ofthe wireless network 14 and interrelation of the elements of the system10. The wireless network 14 is merely exemplary and can include anysystem whereby remote modules, such as wireless devices 12,18,20,22,communicate over-the-air between and among each other and/or between andamong components of a wireless network 14, including, withoutlimitation, wireless network carriers and/or servers, as well asincluding a non-wireless network alone or in combination with a wirelessnetwork. The application download server 16 and the stored applicationsdatabase 28, interactive screen server 32, and stored interactionrecords database 30, will be present on the cellular data network withany other components that are needed to provide cellulartelecommunication services. The application download server 16,interactive screen server 32, and/or other screen servers communicatewith a carrier network 40, through a data link, such as the Internet, asecure LAN, WAN, or other network. The carrier network 40 controlsmessages (generally being data packets) sent to a messaging servicecontroller (“MSC”) 42. The carrier network 40 communicates with the MSC42 by a network, the Internet and/or POTS (“plain ordinary telephonesystem”). Typically, the network or Internet connection between thecarrier network 40 and the MSC 42 transfers data, and the POTS transfersvoice information. The MSC 42 is connected to multiple base stations(“BTS”) 44. In a similar manner to the carrier network, the MSC 42 istypically connected to the BTS 44 by both the network and/or Internetfor data transfer and POTS for voice information. The BTS 44 ultimatelybroadcasts messages wirelessly to the wireless devices, such as cellulartelephone 12, by short messaging service (“SMS”), or other over-the-airmethods known in the art.

The wireless device, such as cellular telephone 12, has a computerplatform 50 that can receive and execute software applications anddisplay data transmitted from the application download server 16. Thecomputer platform 50 also allows the wireless device to interact withdata and applications resident on network servers. The computer platform50 may include, among other components, a display driver 52 that drivesthe graphics display 13 and renders images on the graphics display 13based upon graphics data received at the computer platform 50. Thecomputer platform 50 also includes an application-specific integratedcircuit (“ASIC”) 54, or other processor, microprocessor, logic circuit,or other data processing device. The ASIC 52 or other processor executesthe application programming interface (“API”) layer 56 that interfaceswith any resident programs in the memory 58 of the wireless device. Thememory can be comprised of read-only or random-access memory (RAM andROM), EPROM, EEPROM, flash cards, or any memory common to computerplatforms. The computer platform 50 also includes a local database 60that can hold the software applications not actively used in memory 58,such as the software applications downloaded from the applicationdownload server 16. The local database 60 is typically comprised of oneor more flash memory cells, but can be any secondary or tertiary storagedevice as known in the art, such as magnetic media, EPROM, EEPROM,optical media, tape, or soft or hard disk.

The wireless device, such as cellular telephone 12, can access anddownload many types of applications, such as games and stock monitors,or simply data such as news and sports-related data. The downloaded datacan be immediately displayed on the display or stored in the localdatabase 60 when not in use. The software applications can be treated asa regular software application resident on the wireless device12,18,20,22, and the user of the wireless device can selectively uploadstored resident applications from the local database 60 to memory 58 forexecution on the API 56. The end-user of the wireless device 12,18,20,22can also selectively delete a software application from the localdatabase 60.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the system 10 displays an interactivescreen 15,17 on the graphic display 13 of a wireless device, such ascellular telephone 12, upon the wireless device attempting to access ordownload data from a network server, such as application download server16 across the wireless network 14. The system 10 transmits aninteractive screen to the computer platform 50 of the wireless device,either from the server containing the request application or data orfrom a second server such as interactive screen server 32. Theinteractive screen 15,17 will appear to the user on the graphic displayprior to the network server downloading or allowing access to therequested data or application. The operator of the network server canthus control the access of the wireless device 12,18,20,22 to individualapplications and data through using the interactive screen 15,17. As anexample, in FIG. 3A, an end-user license agreement (EULA) interactivescreen 15 is displayed to the end-user on the graphic display 13 whenthe user seeks to download a software application from applicationdownload server 16. The user must indicate agreement with the EULA inorder to download the application, and can interact with the EULA 15 onthe API 56 of the computer platform. Typical APIs provide a movablecursor on the display that can activate icons as is well known in theart, and other graphic-user interfaces can be used such as a touchscreen and stylus that is common in PDA interfaces. Whatever theend-user inputs in response to the EULA is signaled back to theapplication download server 16, either directly from the cellulartelephone 12 or indirectly from a signal sent by interactive screenserver 32 indicating the user interaction.

As another example of an interactive screen, FIG. 3B illustrates an ageverification form 17 that requires the user to input their age prior tobeing granted access to age-restricted material on the network server.The user thus enters his/her age in response the screen and the cellulartelephone transmits the input data to an appropriate network server,such as application download server 16 or interactive screen server 32.Some processing can occur either at the server where the data isrequested or at the interactive screen server 32 to determine if theinput age meets the criteria. If the interactive screen server 32processes the data, it can transmit an affirmative or negative signal tothe requested-data server to authorize the access of the wirelessdevice.

While the interactive screen 15,17 can be transmitted to the wirelessdevice 12,18,20,22 from the network server that the wireless deviceattempted to access or download data from, one embodiment includes theuse of another network server, such as interactive screen server 32 andan associated stored interaction records database 30, to conserve theresources on pure application servers such as application downloadserver 16. Thus, upon a wireless device 12,18,20,22 attempting todownload or access data or an application on a first network serveracross the wireless network 14, such as application download server 16,the interactive screen is transmitted to the wireless device 12,18,20,22from a second network server, such as interactive screen server 32,across the wireless network 14. In such embodiment, once the user of thewireless device 12,18,20,22 interacts with the interactive screendisplayed on the graphic display 13,19,21,23 of the wireless device12,18,20,22, the wireless device sends the signal indicating theinteraction to the second network server (interactive screen server 32),and the second network server sends a signal to the first network server(application download server 16) indicating the interaction at thewireless device such that the first network server is now allowed toprovide access or download the requested data or application to thecomputer platform 50 of the wireless device 12,18,20,22. If theinteractive screen requires input of data, such as verification form 17in FIG. 3B, once the end-user of the wireless device 12,18,20,22 inputsdata on the interactive screen, the wireless device 12,18,20,22 sendsthe input data to the second network server (interactive screen server32), the second network server again sends a signal to the first networkserver (application download server 32) indicating the input of data atthe wireless device 12,18,20,22, and that the first network server canprovide access or downloading the requested data or application. The useof the interactive screen server 32 as a second network server allowfaster provision of the interactive screen and storage of interactionrecords, especially with a stored interaction records database 30, thanwould be possible with all functionality occurring on a single networkserver, such as application download server 16. The increase in system10 speed translates to decreased data transfer time across the wirelessnetwork 14, which conserves the expensive bandwidth of the wirelessnetwork 14.

The interactive screen can be provided to the wireless device12,18,20,22 at any interval during the wireless device-network serverinteraction. The system 10 can transmit the interactive screen to thewireless device to block access to a specific application, a dataset, oreven a file level on the network server (data may be held on a networkserver in a file structure such as in Windows, UNIX, and LINUX).Further, the transmission of the interactive screen can occur at anytime an application or data is sought accessed or downloaded by awireless device, or if a one-time EULA was necessary, a record of thewireless device 12,18,20,22 execution of the EULA can be stored, forexample on stored interaction records database 30. A comparison can bemade by a network server, such as the interactive screen server 32, whena wireless device seeks to download an application or data and if thewireless device has a EULA stored, then the interaction screen provisionis unnecessary and the system 10 can let the download proceed.

In one exemplary embodiment, the process executed on the computerplatform 50 of the wireless device 12,18,20,22 is shown in the flowchartof FIG. 4. The wireless device, such as cellular telephone 12, bridges aconnection to the wireless network 14, as shown at step 72, such as acellular network, and then connects to a network server, such asapplication download server 16, as shown at step 72. At some point whileconnected to the application download server 16, the wireless devicewill request to download an application, as shown at step 74, or willseek to otherwise access data that has limited access. Thus, after therequest is made at step 74, a decision is made as to whether aninteractive screen 15,17 has been received at the computer platform 50of the wireless device, as shown by decision 50. If an interactivescreen 15,17 has not been received, then the process proceeds todetermine if the requested application has been received at decision 84.Otherwise, if the interactive screen 15,17 has been received at decision76, the interactive screen 15,17 is displayed on the graphic display13,19,21,23 of the wireless device 12,18,20,22 as shown at step 78.

After the interactive screen 15,17 is displayed, a decision is made asto whether the user has interacted with the interactive screen 15,17, asshown at decision 80, or in other words, the wireless device waits untilthe user interacts with the interactive screen 15,17 so it can send asignal and/or data back to the interactive screen transmitting networkserver, such as application download server 16 or interactive screenserver 32. If the user has not interacted with the interactive screen15,17 at decision 80, the process reenters decision 80 in a wait-stateuntil the user does interact with the interactive screen 15,17 or exitsthe download request. If the user has interacted with the interactivescreen 15,17 at decision 80, then the interaction data or a signal istransmitted from the wireless device 12,18,20,22 to the appropriatenetwork server, as shown at step 82.

A decision is then made as to whether the request application has beenreceived at the computer platform 50 of the wireless device 12,18,20,22(or that the requested access has been granted), as shown at decision84. If the application has not been received (or access has not beengranted) at decision 84, then the process is terminated as the download(or access) was unsuccessful. If the application was successfullyreceived at decision 84, the application is installed at the wirelessdevice 12,18,20,22 as shown at step 86. If the request was for access todata or applications on the network server, then the wireless device12,18,20,22 will have access to the data or applications.

With reference to FIG. 5, an exemplary embodiment of the processexecuting on the application download server 16 (or other type ofnetwork server) is shown in a flowchart. A connection with the wirelessdevice 12,18,20,22 is entered, as shown at step 90. At some point, theapplication download server 16 will received a request from the wirelessdevice 12,18,20,22 to download an application or access resident data,as shown at step 92. Once the request is received at the applicationdownload server 16, it is determined if interaction with the wirelessdevice user is required, as shown at decision 94. The determination canbe made based upon any criteria that the operator of the network serverchooses, such as the owner or the wireless device, the nature of thesubject matter of the application or data requested accessed ordownloaded. If an interaction with the wireless device user is notrequired at decision 94, then the requested application is downloaded tothe wireless device 12,18,20,22, as shown at step 102. If interaction isrequired at decision 94, then an interactive screen 15,17 is transmittedto the wireless device 12,18,20,22, necessitating that the user interactwith the interactive screen 15,17 before the requested download (oraccess) is permitted.

A determination is then made as to whether the wireless device user hasproperly interacted with the interactive screen 15,17, such asaffirmatively entering a EULA (FIG. 3A) or entering a correct age (FIG.3B), as shown at decision 98. The interaction signal or data can be senteither directly from the wireless device 12,18,20,22 requesting theapplication and displaying the interactive screen 15,17, or can be asignal or data sent from a second network server, such as interactivescreen server 32 which originally received the interaction signal ordata from the wireless device. If the wireless device user has notproperly interacted with the interactive screen 15,17 at the wirelessdevice 12,18,20,22, at decision 98, a notice of refusal to download theapplication to the wireless device 12,18,20,22 (or denial of access) isreturned to the requesting wireless device, as shown at step 100. If thewireless device user has properly interacted with the interactive screen15,17 at the wireless device 12,18,20,22, at decision 98, then therequested application is downloaded to the wireless device (or access tothe requested application granted), as shown at step 102.

The system 10 thus provides a method for displaying an interactivescreen 15,17 on the graphic display 13,19,21,23 of a user-interactivewireless device 12,18,20,22 including attempting to download or accessdata on a network server, such application download server 16, acrossthe wireless network 14, transmitting a interactive screen 15,17 to thecomputer platform 50 of the wireless device 12,18,20,22 across thewireless network 14 prior to downloading or accessing the requested dataor application, and displaying the interactive screen 15,17 on thegraphic display 13,19,21,23 of the wireless device 12,18,20,22. Themethod can also include interacting with the interactive screen 15,17 atthe wireless device 12,18,20,22, sending a signal to the network server(application download server 16 or interactive screen server 32) fromthe wireless device 12,18,20,22 indicating the interaction, anddownloading or accessing the requested data or application at thenetwork server with the computer platform 50 of the wireless device12,18,20,22. If the interactive screen 15,17 allows wireless device userinput of data, the method further comprises the steps of inputting dataon the interactive screen 15,17 displayed on the graphic display13,19,21,23 of the wireless device 12,18,20,22, sending the inputteddata from the wireless device 12,18,20,22 to the network server,processing the input data at the network server, and selectivelydownloading or granting access to the requested data or application atthe network server.

Transmitting an interactive screen 15,17 to the wireless device12,18,20,22 across the wireless network 14 can include transmitting aninteractive screen 15,17 to the wireless device 12,18,20,22 from a firstnetwork server (such as application download server 16) that thewireless device requested to download or access and application or data,or can be transmitting an interactive screen 15,17 from a second networkserver (such as an interactive screen server 32) across the wirelessnetwork 14. If the interactive screen server 32 is used to provide theinteractive screen 15,17 to the wireless device, the method can includethe steps of interacting with the interactive screen 15,17 displayed onthe graphic display 13,19,21,23 of the wireless device, sending a signalfrom the wireless device to the second network server indicating theinteraction, sending a signal from the second network server (such asinteractive screen server 32) to the first network server (such asapplication download server 16) indicating the interaction at thewireless device 12,18,20,22, and downloading or accessing the requesteddata or application resident at the first network server to the computerplatform 50 of the wireless device 12,18,20,22. And if the interactivescreen 15,17 allows wireless device user input of data at the wirelessdevice 12,18,20,22, the method can further include inputting data on theinteractive screen (such as verification form 17 in FIG. 3B) displayedon the graphic display 13,19,21,23 of the wireless device 12,18,20,22,sending the input data from the wireless device to the second networkserver (such as interactive screen server 32), sending a signal from thesecond network server to the first network server (such as applicationdownload server 16) indicating the input of data at the wireless device12,18,20,22, and downloading or accessing the requested data orapplication at the network server to the computer platform 50 of thewireless device 12,18,20,22.

The invention further includes a wireless device 12,18,20,22 including acomputer platform 50 and a graphic display 13,19,21,23 thereon, wherethe wireless device 12,18,20,22 in selective communication to one ormore network servers across a wireless network 14 with each networkserver selectively downloading data and applications to the wirelessdevice 12,18,20,22. Upon the wireless device 12,18,20,22 attempting todownload or access data on a network server across the wireless network14, the computer platform 50 of the wireless device receives aninteractive screen 15,17 transmitted across the wireless network 14, andthe wireless device 12,18,20,22 displaying the transmitted interactivescreen 15,17 on the graphic display 13,19,21,23 thereof. If theinteractive screen 15,17 allows user input of data at the wirelessdevice 12,18,20,22, the wireless device then allows the user to inputdata on the interactive screen 15,17 displayed on the graphic display13,19,21,23 of the wireless device 12,18,20,22, and the wireless devicesending the inputted data to the appropriate network server (such asapplication download server 16 and interactive screen server 32).

Another embodiment includes a program resident in a computer readablemedium, where the program directs a wireless device having a computerplatform to perform the inventive steps of the method. The computerreadable medium can be the memory 58 of the computer platform 50 of thecellular telephone 12, or other wireless device, or can be in a localdatabase, such as local database 60 of the cellular telephone 12.Further, the computer readable medium can be in a secondary storagemedia that is loadable onto a wireless device computer platform, such asa magnetic disk or tape, optical disk, hard disk, flash memory, or otherstorage media as is known in the art.

In the context of FIGS. 4 and 5, the method may be implemented, forexample, by operating portion(s) of the wireless network 14 to execute asequence of machine-readable instructions, such as wireless platform 50,the application download server 16, and interactive screen server 32.The instructions can reside in various types of signal-bearing or datastorage primary, secondary, or tertiary media. The media may comprise,for example, RAM (not shown) accessible by, or residing within, thecomponents of the wireless network 14. Whether contained in RAM, adiskette, or other secondary storage media, the instructions may bestored on a variety of machine-readable data storage media, such as DASDstorage (e.g., a conventional “hard drive” or a RAID array), magnetictape, electronic read-only memory (e.g., ROM, EPROM, or EEPROM), flashmemory cards, an optical storage device (e.g. CD-ROM, WORM, DVD, digitaloptical tape), paper “punch” cards, or other suitable data storage mediaincluding digital and analog transmission media.

While the foregoing disclosure shows illustrative embodiments of theinvention, it should be noted that various changes and modificationscould be made herein without departing from the scope of the inventionas defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, although elements of theinvention may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural iscontemplated unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated.

1. A method for processing interactive screens for a wireless device,comprising: receiving a request sent across a wireless network todownload data to the wireless device; and transmitting an interactivescreen destined for the wireless device prior to transmitting datadestined for the wireless device.
 2. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising: receiving a signal indicating an interaction of the wirelessdevice and the interactive screen; and transmitting the downloaded datarequested by the wireless device.
 3. The method of claim 2, whereinreceiving the request sent across a wireless network is received by afirst network server.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein transmitting theinteractive screen is performed by a second network server.
 5. Themethod of claim 4, wherein upon receiving a signal indicating aninteraction of the wireless device is received by the second networkserver, wherein upon the second network server sending a signal to thefirst network server indicating the interaction and the first networkserver transmitting the downloaded data requested by the wirelessdevice.
 6. A system for processing an interactive screen for a wirelessdevice with a first network server and a second network server,comprising: the first network server in selective communication with awireless network and in selective communication with the second networkserver; and the second network server in selective communication with awireless network and in selective communication with the first networkserver, wherein the first network server receives a request for downloaddata from the wireless device, communicates the request to the secondnetwork server and the second network server transmits an interactivescreen to the wireless network destined for the wireless device.
 7. Thesystem of claim 6, wherein the first network server transmits data tothe wireless network destined for the wireless device upon receiving asignal from the second network server indicating an interaction with thewireless device.
 8. A method for processing an interactive screen on thegraphic display of a user-interactive wireless devices including acomputer platform, the wireless device selectively communicating with anetwork server and downloading applications and data therefrom, themethod comprising: attempting to transmit data to the wireless devicefrom the network server across the wireless network; and transmitting ainteractive screen to the computer platform of the wireless deviceacross the wireless network prior to downloading the requested data tothe wireless device.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein attempting totransmit data to the wireless device from the network server across thewireless network includes attempting to download a software applicationto the wireless device from a network server across the wirelessnetwork.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting an interactivescreen to the wireless device across the wireless network includestransmitting an interactive screen from the network server to thewireless device across the wireless network.
 11. The method of claim 8,wherein the interactive screen allows user input of data at the wirelessdevice, and further comprising: receiving inputted data from thewireless device at the network server; processing the input data at thenetwork server; and selectively transmitting the requested data from thenetwork server destined for the computer platform of the wirelessdevice.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein, attempting to transmit datato the wireless device from the network server across the wirelessnetwork includes attempting to transmit data destined for the wirelessdevice from a first network server across the wireless network andtransmitting an interactive screen destined for the wireless deviceacross the wireless network includes transmitting an interactive screendestined for the wireless device from a second network server across thewireless network.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:receiving a signal from the wireless device to the second network serverindicating the interaction; sending a signal from the second networkserver to the first network server indicating the interaction at thewireless device; and transmitting the requested data from the firstnetwork server to the wireless network destined for the wireless device.14. A system for processing an interactive screen, comprising: means forattempting to transmit data to the wireless device from the networkserver across the wireless network; and means for transmitting ainteractive screen to the computer platform of the wireless deviceacross the wireless network prior to downloading the requested data tothe wireless device.
 15. A computer readable medium containing computerreadable instructions for processing an interactive screen that whenexecuted perform the method: attempting to transmit data to the wirelessdevice from the network server across the wireless network; andtransmitting a interactive screen to the computer platform of thewireless device across the wireless network prior to downloading therequested data to the wireless device.